


Gotta Be Larger Than Life

by spirithorse



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 20:58:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15804456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithorse/pseuds/spirithorse
Summary: Sorey had gotten used to a variety of strange things going on since he had become the Shepherd. The sound of two or more seraphim talking in his head. The seraphim popping in and out of his body like one would do with a house. The idiosyncrasies of civilization outside of Elysia. Playing alternately ignorance and full acknowledgement of the seraphim depending on the situation. Crabs.The experiences of the Shepherd were wide and varied.They had not prepared him for running into Mikleo in a ruin, or at least not like this.





	Gotta Be Larger Than Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zilleniose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zilleniose/gifts).



> Inspired by [this picture](http://zilleniose-chu.tumblr.com/post/176967689720/i-heard-it-was-sormik-week-not-following-any) by zilleniose. That and I’ve been looking for an excuse to do a time travel AU sort of thing. Title taken from Holding out for a Hero, because this needed a cheesy 80’s pop title.

Sorey had gotten used to a variety of strange things going on since he had become the Shepherd. The sound of two or more seraphim talking in his head. The seraphim popping in and out of his body like one would do with a house. The idiosyncrasies of civilization outside of Elysia. Playing alternately ignorance and full acknowledgement of the seraphim depending on the situation. Crabs.

The experiences of the Shepherd were wide and varied.

They had not prepared him for running into Mikleo in a ruin, or at least not like this.

Ruin exploration was something that had sadly gone by the wayside when he had taken up his duties as the Shepherd, right along with any private time he had with Mikleo. Anything that he did do was in moments between his duties. As it was, he was clambering through the ruin because Lailah had insisted that they stop to have a good meal to clean out their supplies just about to go bad and to take advantage of the bounty that they had picked on the road as they traveled. She had been humming as she had shooed him off, Edna’s suggestion that there might be a ruin because of the composition of the earth ringing in his ears.

Mikleo in a ruin by itself wasn’t strange either. Mikleo was never far from his side, and often keeping pace with him and Rose instead of riding along inside his head like the other seraphim. That at least gave them the illusion of privacy and the luxury of walking down the road, holding hands. That when a little way to assuaging some of the stark removal from the routine they were used to.

In Elysia, they had been allowed to do things on their time. On the road, everything needed to have some sort of arrangement. Second rooms at inns --when they found them -- could get expensive, so ruins were the next best thing, especially since everyone was so willing to allow them the time. Sorey had a sneaking suspicion that they were making the time, but he didn’t quite know how to thank them for it.

Still, being in a ruin with Mikleo and running into Mikleo wasn’t strange.

The fact that he ran into Mikleo’s chest was.

Sorey stared at the black shirt just in his line of sight, trying to process just what had happened.

It was Mikleo, he was sure of that. For one, Mikleo was the only one in the ruin with him. The others would have just returned to him and called that way. Besides, he recognized Mikleo’s face, he would know it anywhere. The only thing that had given him pause had been the flash of gold on Mikleo’s forehead, which meant that he had pushed his bangs away from his circlet. Even that wasn’t strange, it was just rare.

The chest in front of his face, however, was not.

Sorey swallowed and took a step back, tipping his head back slightly to look at Mikleo. That, too, was new. He was used to a Mikleo that could tuck himself under Sorey’s chin, one that had a slightly rounder face. One who wasn’t quite as firm to the touch. It was almost enough for him to reconsider that it was Mikleo, because nothing was adding up.

He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling his cheeks redden with a blush. “I’m sorry. I should watch where I’m going.”

He gave the man an awkward wave before turning on his heel. Sorey intended to beat a quick retreat when he heard something that could have been a soft gasp or a soft chuckle. But was followed it was unmistakable.

“Sorey?”

That stopped him in his tracks, Sorey turning around the give the man another look. He was surprised by the tender longing on the man’s face, but Sorey didn’t linger over the man’s expression. It was everything else that caught his attention.

He had been right that the man was familiar. He had been right the first time around. He recognized the shape of the face, even if some of the roundness to it had gone. He recognized the sweep of the bangs, even if their direction was slightly alerted. If that wasn’t enough, then the circlet that the man wore was proof enough. Sorey had never seen anything similar to it and he had spent hours absently tracing out the curves and corners of it when Mikleo had been reading and using him as a pillow.

More than that was the man himself.

Sorey had spent his entire life, all seventeen years of it, with Mikleo right beside him. He knew the space that Mikleo should fill, knew the way he moved, the way he stood. He knew Mikleo down to the depths of his very essence, and Sorey was sure it was the same in reverse.

This was Mikleo, he was sure of that to the marrow of his bones. But it was a change.

Sorey had long since realized that Mikleo was matching him, at least in appearance. He remembered some of the seraphim being confused about why Mikleo had remained small, but the confusion had slowly disappeared. Sorey wasn’t sure when that had stopped, he just knew that the seraphim had stopped asking, and Mikleo had always matched him. There had been a brief time when he and Mikleo had traded off. Every time he had grown, Mikleo seemed to take offense to that and had added an inch on, until abruptly he had stopped. He had been shy a few inches, but Sorey had considered it all the better. It meant that he could tuck Mikleo up against him, whether he was in a ruin or the two of them were falling asleep. Mikleo had been right by his side his entire life, having him pressed up against him was even better as far as Sorey was concerned.

But Sorey didn’t know how to deal with this, not when Mikleo was taller than him, with hair flowing down like the waterfalls that they had seen, white and oh so soft to the touch. Not when Mikleo had grown into his gangly limbs to be something elegant and put together.

Sorey had always imagined that Mikleo was what the people below Elysia talked about when they meant a seraph. When he had read descriptions of seraphim from other sources, it was always Mikleo he had thought of.

He wasn’t prepared for Mikleo just becoming _more._

Mikleo was beautiful, he had always been beautiful. He had always been enough to get Sorey’s tongue tied and a blush crossing his face but this…this…

Sorey didn’t even think there were words for this.

He watched wide eyes as Mikleo turned to approach him, the seraph turning in a swirl of coat tails. Some distant, still working part of Sorey’s brain supplied that it looked a bit like his Shepherd’s cloak, but that part of his brain quickly joined the rest in just looking with awe.

Mikleo stepped up to where Sorey stood frozen, his fingers sweeping over Sorey’s cheeks before smoothing down his arms. Sorey managed something that might have been a sound, but he doubted that Mikleo noticed. Mikleo was smiling down at him.

“Sorey.”

Sorey relaxed at the sound of his name. It was the way that Mikleo said it when they were alone, soft and like it was the most precious thing. Sorey wasn’t sure if he murmured Mikleo’s name in return, all he knew was that he was reaching out. And then he was pulled close to Mikleo’s chest.

Sorey froze for a moment, his hands braced against Mikleo’s chest as he was held tightly. He had known Mikleo was taller now, but not this much taller. He was the one tucked against Mikleo, Sorey staring at his hands. He was surrounded and Mikleo’s chest was firm beneath his hands.

He knew that he was broad, he was the one who was letting out all of his clothes until he had to find something new. He knew it was mostly around the shoulders. Compared to him, Mikleo seemed fragile. He was anything but, Sorey knew that there was strength in the softness, a hidden current beneath the stillness. But underneath his hands was muscle without that softness, and he liked that.

Sorey found himself absently petting Mikleo as he was held close, only realizing what he was doing when Mikleo chuckled. The sound rumbled through the seraph, slightly lower than Sorey was used to.

He blushed, Sorey looking down at his boots. It was better than staring with his jaw hanging open, or burying his face against Mikleo’s chest. Sorey was sure that it would just compound the problem.

He swallowed, trying to work any words out, but it all caught up with him in a rush. Mikleo had _changed_ , and he was not against it. He liked it, perhaps a bit too much.

Sorey curled his fingers, belatedly realizing what he was doing. He wanted to jerk away, but Mikleo might take it the wrong way.

He licked his lips, not sure if he could bring himself to look up at Mikleo. He was already blushing, Sorey could feel the heat along his cheeks and the back of his neck. It would probably be worse if he looked, because then he wouldn’t be in control of his mouth. Sorey wasn’t sure that he could stick to one language, he would ramble through every one he knew. Mikleo was gorgeous all the time, and Sorey had gotten accustomed to it, at least enough that he didn’t stumble over everything he said. Not all the time. Not unless there was something particularly wonderful. This was like all of those moments condensed. This was a Mikleo was he wasn’t adjusted to yet, and it wasn’t something that could be kept at bay by holding Mikleo’s hand.

Sorey swallowed, his fingers twitching against Mikleo’s chest. That didn’t help either, because it just short circuited his brain because it was just so _firm_.

The hairs on the back of his neck rose as he heard a low chuckle. That too was different. He was used to the slightly higher pitched tone, one that didn’t rumble out from Mikleo’s chest.

Sorey might have gasped, he wasn’t sure. All he was aware of was Mikleo pulling him closer, the hug getting tighter. At a loss of what to do, Sorey rested his head against Mikleo’s chest, tucking himself under Mikleo’s chin.

Like this, he felt safe and protected. It didn’t matter that he didn’t need to be, it was a nice place to be. Like this, it was easier to see why Mikleo have given up the victory in the height race. Sorey was glad that Mikleo had decided to restart their little race, because this was worth it.

He just stopped himself short from nuzzling himself into Mikleo. As a compromise, he closed his eyes and listened to Mikleo’s heard beat, although it was rapid. Sorey listened to the pattern for a moment before frowning. He knew he should have lifted his head, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He could talk to Mikleo just as well like this. “Mikleo?”

Sorey felt Mikleo start at his name. He grabbed at Mikleo’s shirt, not sure how much it would keep him from moving away. Still, he didn’t want Mikleo to leave.

He sighed in relief when Mikleo remained where he was. That was half of the problem solved, and Sorey was more than happy to let the rest sit in favor of some more cuddling. Sorey had learned that there weren’t too many things that couldn’t be discussed when wrapped around each other, although the ultimate position would be on the ground. Sorey glanced around, reluctant to lift his head from Mikleo’s chest. They could stand for a while and then sit on the floor. The others wouldn’t come after them for hours. It was expected that they would be gone for a long while as they explored every crevice. Usually Sorey would insist on it, but he was more than happy to take this time to do something else. It wasn’t like they had done it before.

He shifted to get comfortable, sighing as he closed his eyes. Mikleo was as cool as ever, but that’s what came from him being a water seraph. Sorey was sure that Mikleo felt a little colder and the humidity around him a little more noticeable than usual. Sorey hummed to himself, filing that away as another change.

Lailah had said something once about seraphim altering their appearance as they grew in power. Sorey knew that Mikleo had been working hard to keep up with Lailah and the others, maybe this was the result of it. Sorey couldn’t complain, as long as Mikleo was happy.

He smiled to himself, reaching up to play with Mikleo’s collar. He stared at the unfamiliar clothes, chuckling to himself. He didn’t expect the hum that meant that Mikleo was listening. It was possible to ignore it, but that would be letting an opportunity pass by and Sorey didn’t know when they would be able to steal a moment for themselves again.

Sorey flicked Mikleo’s collar. “You copying me now?”

“What?” Despite the deeper register of his voice, Sorey recognized the indignant tone.

Sorey shook his head, trying and failing to keep himself from laughing. “The jacket and the tails. Looks like the cloak.”

“Oh…”

“It’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

Mikleo grumbled for an answer, Sorey listening to all the starts and stops as Mikleo tried to explain himself. He was laughing against when Mikleo came to an annoyed stop with a huff.

He patted Mikleo’s chest, his focus wavering slightly when the motion turned into something more of a stroke. He stopped the motion abruptly when Mikleo sighed. “You’re one to talk.”

Sorey pushed back, surprised when Mikleo didn’t go far. He reached down to rest his hands on Mikleo’s wrists by his waist. Sorey wasn’t sure if he was going to try and pull them away or he just wanted to hold Mikleo there. Thus secured, he attempted to glare up at Mikleo, although it was hard when Mikleo was smiling softly down at him.

“What are you talking about?”

Mikleo raised an eyebrow. “And you’re the height of fashion?”

Sorey opened and shut his mouth for a moment before shrugging. “I’m the Shepherd.”

Mikleo huffed again, pulling one hand from Sorey’s waist to flick at the feathers on Sorey’s ears. “How many do you need?”

“I think it’s good enough.” Sorey frowned at him, only managing the expression for a moment before grinning up at Mikleo. “But, lipstick on a pig, right?”

He expected Mikleo to laugh back and challenge it, not for Mikleo’s face to go soft and fond. Sorey’s eyes widened as Mikleo rested a hand against his cheek, the one still on his waist tugging him closer. Sorey squeaked at the motion, finding himself pressed up against Mikleo again.

Sorey stared up at Mikleo, his mouth falling open as Mikleo chuckled. “Exactly.”

Their new position brought him closer to Mikleo, Sorey finding himself staring at Mikleo’s lips. His mind sputtered at the thought, Sorey trying to drag his gaze up, but he couldn’t quite manage it. All he could think was that Mikleo’s lips looked _soft_.

“I…should I…” Sorey let whatever protest he had been gathering together trail off when Mikleo leaned forward. He tipped his head back, anticipating the kiss, but Mikleo passed him by to press a kiss to his forehead.

Sorey stared at Mikleo’s chest, confused by the different direction. The kiss felt nice, almost like a benediction, but that in itself was strange. Sorey grabbed at Mikleo’s shirt, hoping to hold the seraph there with the two fistfuls of fabric. “Mikleo?”

He got a hum as a response, but it wasn’t what he was looking for. He needed something more than that. Sorey frowned, reaching up with the intention of nudging Mikleo down to look at him, but Mikleo moved on his own. Sorey froze in the middle of the motion, staring up at Mikleo. The fondness and intensity in his gaze was familiar, at least in practice. When Mikleo was like this, it was something new.

Sorey knew that he was blushing, but there was no fighting it. He had long resigned himself to being smitten, it was something that he would happily bear.

He relaxed, smoothing the shirt back over Mikleo’s chest. “Mikleo, what-”

He cut himself off with a squeak as Mikleo cupped his cheek. Mikleo’s thumb moving along his cheek and back towards his ear. Sorey shivered when Mikleo’s thumb touched his ear, nearly jerking back. Mikleo held him in place easily with a hand in the small of his back. With that, it was easily to nudge them forward until they were chest to chest again. Sorey swallowed, making eye contact with Mikleo.

He was ready to repeat his question when Mikleo kissed him, Sorey’s eyes going wide. Getting kissed wasn’t strange, but this angle was. He was usually the one leaning down, his fingers under Mikleo’s chin or in his hair. Now it was Mikleo’s hand sliding back into his hair, the move familiar. Sorey gasped into the kiss as Mikleo leaned him back a bit, his eyes fluttering shut as Mikleo pushed the kiss deeper.

Sorey’s fingers flexed on Mikleo’s shirt, curling his fingers into it as his mouth was ravaged, not that that he minded.

Sorey went limp in Mikleo’s hold, his focus on their points of contact. That’s all that mattered, and it made him smile into the kiss.

It was different, but it was Mikleo and that was familiar.

Sorey slid his hands up Mikleo’s chest, wanting to loop his arms around Mikleo’s neck, but Mikleo was moving away. Sorey made a distressed sound and grabbed at him. Mikleo was quick to catch his hands, pressing kisses to Sorey’s knuckles before leaning forward to kiss his cheek. Sorey was sure that Mikleo could feel the heat there.

It was a brief, fleeing thing before Mikleo was moving away.

Sorey reached out for him, grabbing at Mikleo’s sleeve. “Wait, we have time. Lailah and the others won’t be looking for us.”

He expected more grumbling or for Mikleo to make a show of agreeing with a big smile. Instead, he got a sad look. Then Mikleo was looking him over, like Mikleo was memorizing him and that was worrying. Sorey got a better hold on Mikleo’s sleeve, fixing him with a sharp look. “What’s going on?”

Expressions flashed across his face too fast for Sorey to categorize or follow. Then Mikleo was smiling, but it was fragile this time. Mikleo shook his head, shaking his arm until Sorey let go. “Nothing. Everything. It’s complicated.”

“How?”

Mikleo sighed, his fingers twitching by his side, Sorey recognizing the moment when Mikleo decided not to answer his question. It was enough to make Sorey step forward, reaching for Mikleo again only for Mikleo to step back. Sorey curled his hands into fists. “Mikleo.”

His tone meant an argument, and he expected Mikleo to respond in kind. Not for his smile to turn soft and for Mikleo to reach out and brush his fingers over Sorey’s cheek. “Sorey, could you say my _name_?”

It was the emphasis that caught him off guard, Sorey staring at Mikleo. Something was wrong and he desperately wanted to get to the bottom of it. The request would be the way to break through to that.

He took a step forward, stopping himself short from touching Mikleo again. “Luzrov Rulay.”

He expected some kind of tug as they armatized, but there was nothing. Mikleo just sighed, a smile crossing his face.

Mikleo reached out to cup his face again, his thumb coasting over Sorey’s cheek one more time before he was turning away.

The speed of it left Sorey stunned, Sorey staring after him as Mikleo walked away from him. He only recovered himself when Mikleo turned a corner, Sorey sprinting after him.

He reached out to grab at the corner, holding onto it to keep himself from slamming into the opposite wall. It also kept him upright when he saw that the corridor was empty.

Sorey stared at the corridor, looking for the sweep of the tails or the swing of Mikleo’s hair, but there was nothing. Just the corridor going further back and into the darkness of the ruin.

He leaned heavily against the wall, staring back into the corridor. It was impossible, because Mikleo had been there, he had been solid. Sorey had been so sure of it.

He licked his lips, starting to step into the corridor when he heard the scuff of a boot against stone, although it was from the wrong direction. Sorey frowned and turned around to look, tensing when he saw Mikleo coming towards him. But not the Mikleo from before, the Mikleo that he was familiar with.

Mikleo paused a few steps from him, a frown crossing his face. The seraph rocked forward before steadying himself. “Is there something interesting down there? Or hellions?”

Sorey swallowed, looking Mikleo up and down before looking back down the corridor. He didn’t think that Mikleo would be able to come back around, or shift his appearance, not unless he wanted to. But then, why had he looked like that in the first place. Sorey stared down the corridor for a moment longer before pointing down it, twisting to look at Mikleo. “Where you just down here?”

“No.” Mikleo dragged the word out, his gaze darting around. The seraph nodded back over his shoulder. “I was back towards the big mural.” Mikleo paused for a moment, staring at him. “Where I thought you were?”

“I was but I saw…” Sorey gestured back down the corridor, quickly turning it to the carvings n the wall. “Some of these and I wanted to look at some of the language. It looked like a dialect that we hadn’t seen and then...” Sorey swallowed and met Mikleo’s gaze, feeling his bush rising again.

It was Mikleo, he could feel that to the marrow of his bones like he had before. But this was the familiar Mikleo.

Sorey rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the heat there. “I…I thought I saw you.”

Mikleo quirked an eyebrow before stepping forward to rest a hand against Sorey’s forehead. Sorey leaned into the touch with a happy sigh. He watched as Mikleo smiled.

Mikleo’s hand remained steady on his forehead even as the seraph peered at him. “No, not burning up. So…lack of sleep.”

Sorey shook his head and grabbed onto Mikleo’s hand. “If anything, that would be your fault.”

“No.” Mikleo was blushing now. He wiggled his hand like he was going to escape, but he just ended up swinging their hands.

Mikleo gave him the side eye for a moment before shaking his head. “I’ll take about half of the blame, but not all of it. We’ll share it.”

Sorey smiled, leaning in to brush his lips across Mikleo’s. Mikleo leaned into the brief touch, pulling away just enough to brush their noses together.

Mikleo stayed close for a moment before stepping away, Sorey recognizing the rueful twist in Mikleo’s mouth. It meant that he wanted to stay right there, and Sorey was tempted to let him. Mikleo was the right size for tucking under his chin again, and Sorey desperately wanted to do it. He didn’t want Mikleo disappearing on him again, if that even had been Mikleo.

He squeezed Mikleo’s hand, getting a squeeze in return, even as Mikleo started to move away. Sorey resisted for a moment before giving in. He edged back into Mikleo’s space, pressing up against him. Mikleo immediately leaned in, twining their fingers together. “Come on, I thought I spotted something about seraphic artes in a side hall.”

“What about them?”

“I didn’t check.” Mikleo shot him a look, the motion turning into leaning his head on Sorey’s shoulder. “I was going to look at them, but someone wandered off.”

“Like you wouldn’t?”

“That’s not the point. The point is, it is interesting and I want you to see it.”

Another tug got him moving, Sorey keeping Mikleo close to his side. It felt better that way.

It didn’t stop him from looking over his shoulder, Sorey frowning at the corridor. He thought he saw something moving, a tall seraph with long hair and tails trailing behind him. Sorey thought the seraph looked over at him, an older Mikleo with his fond but sad look, and then it was gone and the corridor was empty.

Sorey stared at it for a moment longer before shaking his head. He twisted around, following Mikleo’s arm as the seraph started to point out what he caught his attention. Sorey turned his attention to the wall and what Mikleo was saying, focusing of the press of Mikleo against his side and the soft murmur of his voice as he picked out the words in the ancient tongue.

END


End file.
